About 4 years ago, I was having a discussion with a co-worker and he was telling me that he was on a flight into JFK during a heavy thunderstorm. They dropped violently and then the engines punched in and the pilot said they were heading to EWR. When they got off the plane, they saw on the TV that a plane had crashed @ JFK......obviously, Eastern 66.

From my knowledge, a Flying Tigers DC-8 reported a very strong wind shear along the approach to 22L. Then an Eastern L-1011 nearly crashed before heading to EWR. Two more planes landed before Eastern 66 began its ill-fated approach.

So, I'm wondering if my co-worker was on that Eastern L-1011. He said he was coming from the Bahamas. Was the Eastern L-1011 the only divert to EWR before the crash? I couldn't quite tell from the story if they diverted because of weather or the crash itself. Anyone know where that L-1011 was coming from.....because if it was NAS, that would confirm my suspicion.

There was a Flying Tigers DC-8 and an Eastern L1011 that went around just prior to the Eastern 727 (flight 66) crash. The Flying Tigers DC-8 Captain insisted that they change runways. He testified in the NTSB hearings.

The August, 1977 issue of National Geographic has a lengthy article about air safety. The article's focus is on the EA 727 crash at JFK, and includes quotes from the pilot of the EA L-1011 that was ahead of the ill-fated 727.

The cover of the magazine shows a picture of an L-1011 over the California coast, taken from a tail mounted camera.

I highly recommend buying this magazine on Ebay if you want to learn more about the EA 66 crash!

On the day 66 crashed, I was on the QE2 heading to England. I was traveling with the F/A Base Manager based at ORD. I was the Dining Services Mgr at the time.Each of us had a F/C cabin next to each other. Of course there was no CNN, internet etc. The only info we had was the daily newspaper under the door. We'll I got mine first and the front page was all about Eastern. Of course he freeked as we didn't know what crew base the F/A's were from. He wanted to find a way to get off the ship. Right! In the middle of the Atlantic!!!! Well we went to the crew and he was able to call his office and found out they were based in NY, I think. I also remember working as a F/A on this flight, actually as an extra pair of hands, as I never qualified, so was just a manager on board. We were trying a new service and flight 66's flying time and time of day was perfect. I think it before the crash. Yes, a new service with upgraded coach and F/C meals and service. Crystal and china! I also got to ride the cockpit jumpseat.

As well as the Flying Tigers DC8 and the Eastern L1011, there was also a Finnair DC10 (which would have been very new to the airline at the time, since they were only delivered in early '75) and a light aircraft. All of the commercial aircraft had their recorders checked by the NTSB.

Although a tragic incident, a lot of lessons were learned from the crash of EA 66 and indeed, from the crash of DL 191, a decade later (which had a much more advanced FDR, which yielded valuable info to investigators).

Thankfully, such accidents are very rare and airlines are very much more aware (and of course, their crews too) of the dangers of windshear.